Machine for picking cotton.



T. J.v GRAY.. lMACHINE PUR PIGKING GOTTON.

APPLIUATION'PILBD Ndv. 4, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WJTNESSE' nvm/WUR;

Patented Aug 1,1911.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. J. GRM.

MACHINE PORo PIGKING COTTON.

` APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1909.

ATTORNM ',TazJ-@ra/y;

Bmw,...

O O O O O O 1:. J. GRAY. MACHINE FOR PIGKING COTTON.

` APPLIOATIUN FILED NOV. 4; 1909. 999,714. Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES.'

INVENTUR, iv/70S. Jara/6% T. J. GRAY.

MACHINE POP. PICKING COTTON.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1909. 999.?14. 1 Patented Aug. 1,1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WENTWR, lwlww WITWSSE@ A T. J. GRAY.' Y, MAGHI'NB FOR'PICKING COTTON. APPL'IGATION IVILED NOV. 4, 1909.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

* Hofw L4 ToRNEYS,

THOMAS zr. GRAY, or 1i`vinii1 mii on1s,-V INniAii-hssienon orfrnannrounrnsro CHARLES A. BOOKWALTER AND 4THOMAS TAGS-ART, OF'INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,

CRAWFORD FAIRBANKS, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, AND RALPH Gij.'ill'IEIlVIINGrRAY,

0F' MUNCIE, INDIANA.

eoayzia.

MACHINE FOR PICKING COTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed Aug. i, 191i.

i l-lllpplicaton filed November 4, 1909. Serial No. 526,234.

To all whom it may concern: l

. Be it known thatv l. THOMAS J. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of lndiana.,liave invented certain new and useful 'linl'iroveuients in Machines forlckiiig Cotton, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines .for

picking' cotton from the plants inthe field, and the object of vthe invention to' provide a maehineliaving a plurality of barbed fingers which are introduced into-the cotton-bearing 'plant atl such near positions to each other asto. practically contact with all of the open bells, and to cause engagement of the cot-ton with the barbs on the Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a. reciprocating carriage to contain said rotary iingers,'which will have aforward and rearward movement, the rearward movement being exactly compensated by the forward travel of theinachine 'across the field whereby, when the fingers are extended v'into the plants, they will not be advanced by the forward travel of the machine until after they have been withdrawn from the i se plants.

My 'inventionconsists in the peculiar and novel mechanism for rotatingthe pickerfingers; the'peculiar and novel construction for actuating the reciprocating` carriage; the peculiar and novel construction for `ii'iipartii-ig a longitudinal movement to the vpicker-lingers, .and in the general construction and arrangement of the ina-- chine, ,all as hereinafter described and claimed. l

-In order that my invention may be fully understood, I Vwill describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is `a view'in side elevation of my complete machine.` Fig.'9 is a vplanview of saine.A Fig. 3,is a view in side elevation of a housing for the picker-fingers, showing the facewhich is presentedto the. plants.

Fig. t is "a view in longitudinalsect-ion of nearer left side of :the lmachine'and cotton, row A with the. top removedand showing the the casing-'or outer shell-of said v.lioi`1sing,

showing the interior nie'chanism'in elevation.

'/Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthefhousing' on. the

vpickerdingers' extended. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the housing on the opposite or right side of the machine and cotton row showing the picker-fingers and associated mecha-- nism in dotted lines in the position of said fingers when their reciprocating carriage is at the middle of its forward travel. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5. Fig. S is a verticalsection taken on the line 8 8 of FiO'. G. Fin'. Slis a viewl on a larger scale of the outer or barbed end 1 of one of the pickei-tiiigers. Fig. 10 is a like view of the opposite orinner end of the finger,x showingl the end collar in section. Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the finger on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of a sleeve-gear in which the picker-finger is slidiiigly mounted. Fig. 13 is-a view of the front end and' Fig. 14 a view of theopposite or rear end of said sleeve-gear. Fig. 15 is a view on a larger scale, in elevation, showingI a portion of the reciprocating carriage which carries the picker-fingers. Fig.-16 is adetail in side elevation of the fiexible reciprocating rock, and Fig. 17 'is-a detail iii partial vertical sectionfof the reciprocating carriage.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. i

.20 represents the main frame or body of myrmacliiiie which will be mounted upon the front steering wheels .21 and the rear traction wheels 22. Secured to the wheels 22, or'to the rear axle on which the wheels 22 will be mounted in a fixed manner, are the sprocket wheels 23, and from these sprocket wheels, by means of link belts Q4, the power required to drive the picking mechanisu'i will be transmitted to sprocket-wheels 25.011 the ends of a transverse shaft QG suitablyT `inounted`upon the frame Q0. The sprocket wheels 25 are loosely mounted on their shaft.

26 and their hubs are provided with halfclutches i which' engage with half-clutches lmount'edin a 'fixed manner on the shaft whereby `any differences in travel between' the two driving wheels due to uneven ground,` will be equalized. While themech .aiiism'just described is lthe best-that I now -know of for cotton-picking'machines moved by animal power, it is obvious that the pickingniechanism may be ,driven from a suitframe, and from each of'these beams ahous- V1ng'27 will be suspendedbymeans of chains 28, which will be woundupon suitable drums (not shown) mounted on transverse shafts 29 and 30. The shafts 29 and 30-l`1avesuitl able sprocket-wheels which are connectedlby.

a --chain-belt 31, whereby, when thejsha'ftA 29 is rotated to Wind orunwindits chains 28, the opposite shaft 30 will be correspond-v ingly rotated to wind or unwind its chains- 28'. The shaft l29 will have a' Worm-wheel;

34 which will-be engagedby a worm ...32"

mounted onl a shaft which also carries-a1 hand -Wheel v33, by the manipulation `of which the shafts29 and 30 may be simulta-l neously rotated to equally raise `orT lower both ends of the two-housings 27.' Vertical shafts'35 mounted in each end Aof the housings, entend-up through guides in J the main frame of the/machine and. serveto direct andniaintain the proper vertical ad,` 'justments of the'housi'ngs.` i l My machine as illustrated is intended to straddlea cotton rowad'to .pick the cottonv from both sides ofthe rowfat one movement of the machine along said.row, and fol this reason duplicate picking mechanism in two separate housings are employed. As' the only differencehetweenthe picking mecha .nism in'thetwo housings is that .hey are in \reverse, that is that they are rights'and lefts',

it will' .only be necessaryv `to describe the construction and operationv of oneof them,

-it being understood that the n ieoli'anism .for

the lother side of'th'm`achine which does the "picking vis the saine with the exception that it is reversed." 1

Referring 4now particularly to Figs 4,5,

7 and-8, a reciprocating carriage 39 is shown l as mounted'within 'thehousing 2.7. AIt 'rests upon' the rollers 40'having. their travel 'ing channel-bars '4l secured uponI the-bottom 42 of said housing.. Similar rollers 43 car-` ried by the uppergcorners of the carriage have a like travel in tracks formed by inverted channel-bars 44 secured to the vtop '45 of the housing, and lateral displacement ofthe carriage is prevented bythe horizontal thrust-rollers 46, at' top and' bottomof the carriage working between the iianges of the channel-bars 41 and 44 respectively.- Secured to the top of the carriage 39, by means of the bolts 47, is ametal base 4S which sup-4 ports an integral horizontal plate with .ha lf round ends (see Fig. 5), which plate hasfan.

integral verticalcontinuous marginal flange '49 and a longitudlnal central Hange 50 which slidingA adjustment ion 54 theteeth of whichA engage the. teeth of the rack 51. Theshaft' 53V is connected by a universal joint 545' (see Fig. 1 with a vertiealshaft 542. T-he shaft 5 49fis sup- ,-'f

ported lbya yokefswiveled on ljointed sleeve 56 supported by'. the 'standardf 57.

Mounted in the sleeve 564 is a shaft fSwhieh 1 has axbevel-'wheel 59,m'eshing with'fa pinion .I

.60 mountedon, the shaft 542. The pinion-{SOv Mounted on the o` posite -en'd of/s'haft 58:

is a bevel-pinion.` 2.whicliinieshesfwithfaf bevel-Wheel-63 on shaft'126. i

By the above mechanism a -contuiuous-rt tary motion is transmitted'to the pinion 54;3 which by its engagement with l'the rack 151," .eausesthe rack and thereby thefcarriagef''j 1' vto which the rack is fasten-ed,'to travellllo gitudinauy of the housing eazwhn 'n'. 5'

end-of the rack 5l reaches'the'pinion, 541th rotation of the latter moves Tithe."jp'ifnion.,to` thevopposite side of the ra ck,;and ighellgeupO-l travel, by4 the continued rotation.'Oftlepin`4 end of the 'rack reaches said pinionl "54. A -freclprocating travel is thus imparted `.tof-tige,

carriage39, andas the-rack and its carriage have noflateral movement the sh 553'A on'.

and' 542," and provide for- `a longitudinal eled yoke 55.

which' the pinion 54 is' mounted 'must-oscilf x late to allow the pinion to change-from :one

sidje4 of the rack to theother. -Hence-.I`pr o -Y "vide-thefuniversal joint between shafts-53 'of shaft 542511:; the swiv-V O the reciprocatingcarriage 39, arc-aplu-f' ra-lity of'cylindrical bores see.lf7igs.4, l5 and. v1 7) arranged in a series'ofhorizfontal;

and vertical rows', as shownin Fig."4,- inl '1 4'l1-5N which willI be mounted the elongated hubs" 65 of sleeve-gears 66. The ge'ariwheels/GG" l. will beset in below the face -ofA the carriage f and will be there retained by vertical plates 67. Passing through the sleeves or hollow hubs 65 are the cylindrical picker-fingers 70 which are longitudinally `flattened at 714'to conform to an entering portion 69 of the hub 65, whereby the fingers will be rotated but may also be longitudinally reciprocated. The rotation of the gearfwheels 66, and;

through them of the piclferLfingers 70, isfl Q accomplished by the flexible-racks 72, which' j g pass between adjacent,- hori'zontal rows offwheelsl 66 and have teethorc'ogs on their I i upper andlower edges which l engage with" Formed transyersely throughrtheibody ofi plate 80 in and outlwitlitheimwhich mov more, and the cani-slot Wheels-.66. 72 I links hinged together,'and the lends of the flexible rack thus'tormed4 are fastened to* brackets 9'2'at the opposite ends of the re ciproc'ating carriage, as best 'shown in Fig. -Tl'ie :flexible racks vpass around idle sprocket wheels Tat on `vertical sha-tts .lo-

cated at each end ofthe travel of said carriage. By this manner of using liexible racks I ani able to rot-ate the fingers more rapidly than could be done with rigid racks, because, with a rigid rack the motion-iin? parted to the lingers would be that caused by the travel of the carriage, Whilewith ,a flexible rack as here shown, therotat-ion due to the travel of the carriage is acceleratedby an accompanying tra-vel of in an opposite direction.

rlhe picker-fingers are barbed vbelow their outer or cylindrical. surfaces-as shown at 77, so as not to injure the unopened cotton bolls or the growing plant, when the fingers are thrust out into saiiie,but so as to engage' the' cotton and pick it vby wrapping vit around the rotating lingers at thelforward travel of the 'reciprocating .carriage and to release-the v cotton `by the opposite .rotation of the iin- -gers on the' .reverse travel of the c'ai-riage. 30

1 will' notv describe the mechanism vby which the ingers are longitudinally recipl rocated.

SOis a laterally movable plate which is to be maintained in constant parallelism with the carriage 89. It has suitable transverse openings in which the reduced ends (see Fig. l0)of the respective picker-ngers 70 are ournaled, whereby, by the lateral moveinent ofplate. 80 the entire assignment of` fingers in its housing will he moved in or out, depending on the direction of movement of said plate. Also, because of fingers 70, the plate SO is compelled to travel to and' fro with' the reciprocation of carriage 39.'-

- Mountedon vertical shafts above and below the plate S0 and midway of its length, are friction wheels 92, which enter cani-slots 83 in fixed horizontal plates Sfl. T-he Aplates S4 are supported. by the walls of the lionsing. as shown in Fig. 8, so 4as to remain immovable while the .carriage and plate -8 0 S3 in said plates 84 are so shaped as shown in Figs. 5.and 6, asto causo the friction-wheels'82'to'a1ternatel L recede from andthen approach toward fthe carriage 89 simultaneously, `carrying l'the ment of the plate 80 'will ofcoursec'orrespondi'ngly move its attached lingers 70 inv a longitudinal direction. The dotted linest in Fig. 5, show means to insure the continuous .travelof the `carriage in its orbit.

' The reciprocating -cai'riage39 carries a pair of horizontal guide-'plates Svat its topi and bottoni, each 'of whiclihas a straight chema the rack itself .fingers is Which is attached to and is the other slot 86 extending at-right angles to thejlon'q i -gitudinal dimensionsof the carriage .to re ceive rollers' 87 journaledto the'plate l8O.- The. rollers 87 moving-in these lateralfslots S6 help to guide thel plate' SOin its lateral 'fr0l travel, and as an additional' safe-guard toyinsure" constant parallelism between plat-e 804 l .and carriage 39, a'condition necessary to keep the fingers from binding, I"pro\f'1dea. mounted in suitable 75 horizontal "shaft 90V journals onthe back: oftheplatc SOand p arallel with-it, on the-ends ofwhich are the segmental gears 91.' The lowerbra'ckets 92, to which the "ends ofthe segmental ra'cks- T2 are fastened,'are' provided with-extensions -80 93, in duplicatevertical pairs, as shown in Fig. 5', which jsiipporthorizontal pins forni` ing a. rachr 91 toenga-ge the teethfo'f the seg` mental gears 91.-# This Y insures that both ends ofthe plate SQ." rav el. uniformly' :and '85 equally in moving froiiif ort' toward the"car riage 39.1'. g v 'r p Theinner verticalfface of-tlie lhousing passage of the .picker-fingers v 70 andftlieir4 A eej. lateral t.ravel, and horizontal fioors llti'willf. be4 provided between the ca rri'ag'e 39 aiidthis inner wall of the housing to receive t lie' cot f ton which is -discharged by a-revcrse'rptation ofthe fingers A floor 96 ,under each 4horizontal set of absolutely necessary to-fc'arrQyl the cotton asit 'is liberated from -the fingers back falling .by gravit-y to the rows below and-becoming massed. and bunch'ed as it wouldl do'giv-ithout 'these separating platforms, If allowed-'to'becoine hunched as would'necessarilybe thekvcase-IOS- Withoutsaid plat-forms to-siippoi'tand separate t-lie several deliveries -the in chine would' soon lbecome clogged and inoperz'itive.v

. To keep'the cotton, which liasbee'ndischar ed 'in a loose condition npoii the floors :1.1.0- rom discharging into thepathot-Jthc partition-plate 9 7" rigidly to the rear end' otthe ,carriage -and-slides longitudii'i'ally,` in

and out ot the housing with the carriage. '115 96,' carriage 39,v I provide a But as there'isjnot room enough at the front end ofthe housing for a rigid traveling par= tition-'plate I`provid'e aroller98 and -a can,- vascurtain 99, one end lof end 'of Qwhich curtain is fastenedf to the front end ofthe carriage 39 by any Suitable vmeans (not sli-own). The above described mechanism 'so Y timed that the forward Atravel of the housing` 112.5

27,-that is, of the machine across thefield-Ll I is exactly equal-to 'the rear 'or backward" riage wi th :relation o7 .will have longitudinal.slots-.9;3.for thefre'e as they arejwithdraivii-U from the cotton-bearing plants;

vto theelevator and to prevent Vit-Ffr'oin 100 from the upperroivdown which is attached' t' wound onfand oii? of lthe roller, and 120' lieved of their cotton, remains unchanged, and the picker-lingers when ,thrust into the lantsengage the cotton ot the open bells y the rotation of their barbed'surfaces and removeanddischarge it 'upon -t'hehorizontal iioorsmiwithin thehousing, without injuring the cotton'plants in any Way. The fshapeofftlie cam-slots. 83 is suchthat the rear picker-lingers will be 'introduced into the plants at each new insertion ,at a distance in'advance of the. previous position of .the frontroWA of pickers equal to the dis- 4 tance apart of the vertical picker-ro\vs. The

-. l picker-ingersof each housing Aextend halt Way through -a Aplant roiv, and 'it therefore requires the joint action of the lingers of the tivo housings .topick both sides of a ronv at once. -As tile-"cotton is discharged from the fingers into the housings 27 it is moved by any sui-table means along the oors 9G 'to the rea-r Where it is elevated by a belt carrier through a chutelOO (see Figs. 1 and 2), and

` is discharged into any suitable reeept-acle 101.

The means which Iliave here shownfor Y vI Iloving .the cotton along the floors 96, are

belts 102 (shown in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6) .passing 'around suitable pulleys 107.

cotton-bearing plants, a carriage mounted on the machine 4having a reciprocating travel parallel with the cotton roW,1 neans for moving the carriage at the same speed as the machine, ngers carried by the carriage, means for moving the lingers longitudinally into the row of plants during one period of travel of the carriage and for withdrawing them during the other period of travel of the carriage comprising horizontal fixed plates having cam-slots, and a vertical plate .in which the ends of the-fingers are m0unted,'

said vertical plate having'rollers entering the cam-slots of the horizontal plates, horizontal slotted guide plates,- and rollers on said vertical plate entering the slots of the guide plates. Y

2. A machine adapted to be-progressively moved at a uniform speed along a row of cotton-bearing plants, a 'carriage mounted on the machine having a reciprocating travel parallel -with the cotton row, brackets se- Vcured tothe carriage adjacent each of its endsand extending laterally of the carriage' on the opposite side from the cotton row, said brackets 'supporting horizontal racks, fingers carried by the carriage, means for moving the fingers longitudinally into the row of plants during one period of travel of the carriage 4and' for withdrawing them during the other period-t travel of the carriage comprising.horizontal fixed plates having ca1n-slots, aV vertical plate in whichV the ends of the fingers are mounted, rollers on said vertical plate entering the cam-slots of the horizontal plates, a horizontal shaft mounted on said. vertical plate and 'segmental gears on .said horizontal shaft engaging the .said rackson the carriage-brackets.

3. A lnachinc adapted to be progressively moved at a uniform speed along a ron' of cotton-bearing plants, a carriage mounted on the machine lhaving a reciprocating travel parallel with the cotton row, horizontal plates projecting laterally from the carriage on the opposite side from the cotton row said plates lia-ving straight'slots atright angles to the carriage, fingers carried by the. carriage, horizontal fixed plates having cam-slots, a vertical plate in Whichthe ends of the lingers are monnted,.rollers secured to said vertical plate and entering thev camslots ef the horizontal plates other rollers .secured to the vertical plate and entering the straight slots of said first plates and inea-ns for rotating the fingers.

4. A machine adapted to be progressively moved at a uniform speed along a row of cotton-'bearing plants, a 4carriage mounted on the machine havingareciprocatingtravel parallel with the cotton row, brackets fastened lto the carriage near its ends and projecting laterally on the opposite side from i100 the cotton row saidbrackets carrying horizontal racks, horizontal plates carried by the carriage and projecting laterally therefrom on the opposite side f the carriage from -the cotton, row said horizontal 'plates having straight slots at right angles to the carriage, means for moving the carriage at the saine speed as the machine, fingers carried by the' carriage, horizontal fixed plates having cam-slots, a'vertical plate in which the ends of the fingers are mounted, rollers .carried bysaigd vertical plate entering vthe cam-slots ofnthe fixed horizontal plates, other rollers 4carriedby the vertical plate entering the slots at rightangles to the carriage, a shaft carried by -said vertical plate and segmental gears on Vthe ends ot said shaft engaging the horizontal racks of said brackets.

'5. A' machine adapted to be progressively moved 'at a uniform speed along a row of cotton-bearing plants, said. machine having tracks parallel with-the direction of its travel, a carriage mounted -on rollerswhich follow said t1acks,`a .horizontalrack eX- tending longitudinally of the lcarriage and surrounded by an oval channel, asvvingingly mounted revoluble pinion located insaidchannel in engagement with the rack, iin-- gers carried -by the carriage, means for ro- ,tating theiingers and means for longitudinally reciprocating them at predeterminedperiods.

6; Aniachine adaptedl to be progressively f ,ffmoved at a uniform speed lalong a row of cotton-bearing plants, tracks parallel with Y. the cotton rowcarriedby said machine, a.

' reciprocating; carriage mounted., on said tracks, a rack parallel with the-cotton row carried by thecarriage, 'a vertical flange passing around'all of the sides and ends of` -k vthe rac-k and separated therefrom by a channel. a shaft swingingly supported above therack, a pinion on the shaft engagingw rack, ieans for driving the shaft, fingers carried by the carriage, means for 'rotating 4the lingers and ineans'for. longitudinally re-v ciprocating them at' predete 'mined periods. I -7. 'Amachine adapted to be l'irogressively moved at a uniform speed along a row of cotton-bearing plants, tracks'parallel .with the cotton row carried by saidmachinc, a

carriage mounted -on said tracks, a rack parallel with thecotton row carried by the car-4 yringe, a continuous flange passing completely around the rack and separa-ted Vtherefrom by a' channel, a shaft swingingly` supported above `the rack, a pinion on the shaft engaging` the rack, means for driving the shaft,

fingers carried by the carriage, means actu-v ated by the travel of the carriage 'for rotating the fingers, and other means also actu--V ated by the travel of'the carriage, .for longitudinally reciprocating the fingers at predetermined periods.V

8. A machine adapted to be progressively moved at a uniform speedv along a row of cotton-bearing plants, tracks parallel with vthe cotton row carried by said machine, a

carriage mountedon said tracks, a rack parallel with vthe cotton row carried by thecarriage, a. flange passing around all of the sides and ends of the rack and separated therefromby a' channel, a shaft swingingly supported'above the rack, a pinion on the shaft engaging the rack, means for driving the shaft, pinions mounted .in horizontal rows in the carriage, racks parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage engaging said pinions so as to rotate them by the travel of the carriage, fingers slidingly y mounted in said pinions and means for longitudinally reciprocating the fingers at predetermined periods.

9. A machine mounted on wheels and adapted to be progressively moved at a uni -forin speed along a. row of cotton-bearing plants, tracks parallel with the cotton# row carried by said machine, a carriage mounted on said tracks, a rack parallel with the cotton row carriedby the carriage, ,lan-oval flange passing continuously around the rack and separated therefrom by channels, a shaft swingingly supported above therack, a pinion on the shaft engaging the rack, means connected With said wheels of the machine for drivingl the shaft ata uniform rate withthe travel "of the machine, pinionsihaving hollow sleeves. mounted in horizontal rows in the-carriage, vertical shafts at'the ends of 4loosely mounted thereon, flexible .racks'vein gagi'ngzsaid rows of pinions and passing aroundthe said sprocket-wheels and having their ends attached to the respective ends 4of the 'arriage, fingers slidingly inountedin the hollow sleeves of the pinions, and means for longitudinally reciprocating the fingers at pretileter'mlinedperiods.v

10.1ln-a machine for picking cotton'froin plants,-.a reciprocatingcarriage, a plurality of pnnons 'having hollow sleeves mounted in horizontal rows on the carriage, a vertical shaft. at each end ofthe travel of the carriage. sprocket-wheels loosely mounted on said shaft, flexible racks engaging said'horizontal rows of pinioiis said racks being couiprised of a plurality of -hingedly connected links which pass between the rows of pinions and thence around. corresponding sprocketwheels at the ends of travel of the carriage,

the ends-of the flexible racks being fastened to the respective ends of the carriagefingers slidingly mounted in the hollow pinion.

sleeves, and-means for longitudinally reciprocating the fingersat predeterininedperiods.

11. Ina machine for picking cotton from plants, a reciprocating carriage, a plurality \of pinions mounted in horizontal rows on the carriafre barbed finoerscarried b said pinions, a vertical shaft at each end ofthe travel of the carriage, sprocket-wheels loosely mounte'don said shaft, and flexible rack-s engaging` said -lior1zontal-rows of pinions said racks being comprised of a Aplurality of hingedlyconnected links which and means for moving the racks in an opposite direction to the carriage movement.

13. In a machine for picking cotton from the plant, a housing adapted to travel between -the cotton-rows@ carriage having reciprocating movement within the housing in a direction parallel with the vcotton rows, picking-lingers carried by the carriage and arranged in a series of horizontal rows and adapted to be projected through a side of the housing into the cotton plants and to Withdraw into the housing and to discharge the cotton picked by them, and a horizontal -of the housing to keep the cotton from the several rows of fingers sepa-rate and from buiiching together after being discharged from the fingers.

14. In a machine for picking cotton from plants, a frame mounted on wheels and adapted to straddle a cotton row, 'a pain of housings adjustably suspended from said frame one of said housings lbeing 'on each side of a cotton row, a plurality of pickingfingers mounted in each housing, means for rotating said fingers, and means for reciprocating the fingers of bothy housings longitudinally first into the cotton-bearing plants 'of the iowvand then back again into the housing, and means for timing the recipro-I cating movement of said fingers' with the forward travel of the machine to cause alll of the plants of the row to be equally reached by said fingers.

15.A In a machine. for picking cotton from plants, a housing, a carriagehaving a reciprocating movement within the housinglongitudinally of the'latter, picking-fingers carried by said carriage, and a partitionplate attached to the rear end of the carriage and moving with the latter to keep the picked cotton from Vdischarging into the path of the carriage.

16. In a machine for picking cotton from plants, a housing', a carriage within the housing having a reciprocating movement longitudinally thereof, picking-fingers carried by the carriage and adapted to remove the cot tonfrom the'plants'and discharge it within the housing, a vertical apron-roller at'thevl forward end of the travel of the carriage and a flexible apron having one end attached to the roller whereby the apron may be wound thereon, and having its other endv attached tothe carriage.

' Copies of this patent maybe obtained` for five cents each, `by addressing 'thettComm-issioner of Patents,-

Washington, D. C. i

17. In a machine-for picking cotton from l the plant, a housing adapted yto travel between the cotton rows, a carriage having reciprocating movement within the housing in a direction parallel with the cotton rows,

picking-fingers carried-by the'carriage and arranged in a seriesof horizontal rows and being discharged from the fingers, andmeans for positively moving the cotton'from front -to rear on said platform;

`adapted to be projected through a side of. l the housing into the vcotton plants and to 18. In a machine for picking cottonfrom the plant', a'. housing adapted -to-,travel bctwecii the cotton rows, a carriage having reciprocating movement within the housing in a direction parallel 4with the cotton rows, picking-fingers carried by the carriage and arranged 1n a series of horizontal rows and adapted to be projected through a side of the i housing into the cotton plants andto with-V draw into the housing and to discharge the cotton picked by theni, a horizontal floor under eachrow of picking-fingers to keep the cotton in the several rows of fingers separate and from buiiching together after being discharged from the fingers, and means .comprising a carrier -belt for positively moving the cotton from front to rear on said platform. I l

In witness whereof, I have'h'ereuiito set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana,

nine hundred and nine.

this 25thday of October, A.5D. one thousand- THOMAS YJL .GRAYg' [a a] Witnesses: ,A Wi ,WonRNnmf JJAfMIN'rURn, 

